Elevator signal system.



H. J-.- HEENEY.

ELEVATOR SIGNAL SYSTEM.

APPLIOATIOI FILED 00'1". 26, 1907 rammed-Jan. 25,1910.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1- H. J. HEENEY. ELEVATOR SIGNAL SYSTEM.

aPPLIOATIOH rILim 00w. 26, 1907.

947,733. Patented Jan.25,1910.

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11;- J. HBBNBY. ELEVATOR SIGNAL SYSTEM.

APPLIOATI O F IILED 001'. 26, 1907.

Patented Jan. 25, 1910.

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- the accompanying ELECTRIC COMPANY, A. CORPORATION "OF MASSACHUSETTS.

ELEVATOR SIGNAL SYSTEM.

' To all whom it may 'concem:

it known that I, HENRY J. HEENEY, a citizen of the United States, residing in .Boston, in the county of Sufiolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Elevator Signal Systems, of which the following descri tion, in connection with drawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawings representing like parts. n

The present invention relates to an ele-- vator slgnal system of that class in which each floor is rovided with a single annunciator-set or a plurality of elevators, said set having an up push button and a down push button, there being corre-' sponding up' and down signals which are dlsplayed in all the cars. In a system of this kind, thesignals, whether up or down, are automatically reset when anycar passes\ a landing and takes the passengers waiting, so that the other elevators subsequently passing the said landing will not have any stop si al displayed at the time of passing.

. he present invention relates mainly to a novel system of distribution whereby the wiring is greatly simplified, a further feature of the invention consisting in the com- -bination' with such a system, of a resetting circuit controller operated by each elevator, the said controller being of novel construction.

Inthe system embodying the invention, each of the cars is provided with an up and down signal corresponding to each floor. Each si al consists of a polarized drop arrange between two electro magnets so as to move in one direction and to be thus displayed in response to an impulse of current in one direction, and to be moved out of sight in response to an impulse of current in the other direction. The circuits are so arranged that the operation of the push button marked up at any floor sets the up signals corresponding to that floor in all of the cars, the pushing of the button marked down correspondingly setting all of thedown signals for that floor. Each signaling, circuit, however, is further controlled by a circuit closer operated by each car so that the resetting circuit becomes closed automatically when any car of the series reaches a certain floor.

Figure-1 is a diagram of c rcuits illustrating the system applied to three elevators,

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Jan, 25, 1910, Application filed October 26, 1907. Serial No. 399,296.

ing a modification for use when two or more separate sets of elevator "signals are to be operated from a single source of current.

In Fig. 1, the three elevator cars are illustrated in diagram and indicated by the legends Elevator 1, Elevator 2", and Elevator 3 Each car is shown as equipped with an up and down signal for each of three floors, the dia ram indicating ow the circuits through al of the signals are connected together. For descriptive purposes, however, it is necessary only to refer mainly to the signaling devices in one ele= vator, and the set of signaling devices in elevator 1, supposed to re )resent the signals UNITED T NT OFFICE;

mare. HEENEY, or BOSTON, massacnusn'rrs, ASSIGNOR 'ro nonrznnfcano'r for the third floor, will e specifically depivoted at 6 between two 01) ositely Wound electro-magnets c and 0 he arm 6 is permanently polarized so that one end is of north polarity and the other end of south polarity, as indicated by the reference letters n and s, the polarity of the electro ma meta 0 and a changing, of course, with the Cirection of the current. Assuming, for example, that the 'arm 6 is in the position shown at the left in Fig. 3, and that the current is passed through the electro magnets c and a" in such a direction as to polarize the electro -magnet 0 north, and the electro magnet 0 south, the lower end of the arm 6 will be repelled, thus starting the signal disk D toward the right, the electro magnet 0 at the same time tending to attract the upper end of the arm 6 while the lower end, as it approaches the electro magnet 0, will be attracted. Assuming, therefore, that, in the position shown, in signal B the member I) is visible, while it is invisible in the oppos1te ,and restored through the agencyot currents flowing in opposite directions through the electro magnets.

In Fig. 1, the up and down signal buttons are indicated respectively for the different floors by the letters 1 and 1 for the first floor; 2 and 2 for the second floor; 3 and 3 -for the third floor. In tracing the circuits, the third floor may, for convenience, be referred to, and assuming that some one on the third floor wishes to display an n signal in all the cars, the button 3 is pushe thus closing a circuit which starts from a battery M and passes through conductor 3 and push button 3 to the conductor 3', magnetic coils c and c conductor 3, conductor 3 signalbell G, and conductors 3 and 3 to the other terminal of the battery M. The momentary closure of this circuit energizes the coils c, c in the manner necessary to display the signal which indicates a passenger waiting to go up on the third floor.

The conductor 3 is connected by means of a connecting wire with conductors 30 and 31 which lead to the corresponding up signals in elevator 2 and elevator 3, each of which is provided with a signal bell and with conductors 30 and 31 which connect, through connecting wire 31, with the conductor 3 to completethe circuits throughout the series. The circuit for the down signal passes from the battery M through the conductor 3, the push button 3*, the conductor 3 to the down signal device D and thence through the conductor 3 to the conductor 3 the remainder of the circuit being as previously traced with relation to the up signal. This circuit is completed through all the elevators by means of the connecting conductor 32. The signals having thus been set in all the cars, it is necessary to restore the signals after. any one car has stopped to take the waiting passenge For this purpose, each car is arranged to operate a circuit controlling device which consists of a traveling. member arranged to pass contacts corresponding to each floor, the contacts being arranged in sets to take care of the up and down signals.

Referring again to eleva'tor 1, the stationary up and down contacts for the third floor are indicated by the reference letters 3 and 3 the traveling arm a being arranged" to reach these contracts when the elevator is at the third floor and close the circuit through one when the car is traveling upward, and through the other when the car is traveling downward. The construction by which this selection of the circuit to be closed is provided for will be hereinafter described, it being sutlicient, for the present, to assume that the arm a reaches a position to close a circuit in cooperation with the contact member 3 when the elevator 1 has reached the third floor in its upward travel. The circuit thus closed is supplied by a separate battery N which'niaybe referred to as the resetting battery, and said circuit may be traced as follows: battery 'N, conductor t, conductor 5, which connects with all the cars, conductor 6, conductor 6, conductor 3, conductor 3, coils c and c, conductors 3 and'3 to the contact member 3, arm a, and thence through the conductor 6', cutout switch 6, and conductor (3, to the opposite terminal of the battery N. This causes current to flow through the signaling device B' in the opposite direction to that employed for displaying the signal, and results in resetting the signal, the connections being such that the signals are reset in all the cars when any one car passes the proper floor. Without tracing the circuits, it may be noted that each elevator is provided with a circuit controller like the one described, the arms a and a corresponding to the elevators 2 and 3 and cooperating with the terminals 3O and 31 when their respective elevators reach the third floor. The same is true of the down re-setting signal, the circuit of which will now be traced relating to the third floor signal in elevator 1, it being deemed unnecessary to describe further the multiple connections, which are plainly shown in the diagram.

The circuit for the down resetting signal is through the conductors 4, 5, 6, 6 and .3", and thence through the down signal D coils 0 and 0 the conductors 3 3 to the terminal 3 and thence, as before, through arm a, conductor 6*, cut out switch 6, conductor 6, to the battery N. The cut-out; switch 6 is provided for the purpose of breaking the resetting circuit in case an elevator in passing a floor for which a signal is set may be crowded, so that it is desirable not to -stop for more passengers, but to leave the signals set in the other elevators until one with better accommodations reaches the floor. It, therefore, for any'reason, the operator of the elevator desires to pass a floor without stopping, he can operate the cutout switch 6 w iile his car is passing the floor, and thus prevent the closure of the resetting signal circuit.

The mechanical details of the re-setting circuitcontroller are best shown in Figs. 2, 3. 4 and 5, it being understood, as shown in the diagram Fig. 1, that each car is provided with controlling mechanism independent of the others.

As best shown in Fig. 3, the arm a is mounted radially. upon a shaft 0" provided with a gear wheel adapted to be driven, as shown in Fig. 2, by a small gear (Z on the haft (Z driven by a sprocket (Z and a chain (Z from a wheel or drum 6 which is rotated by one of the elevator cables in the up and down movement of the elevator. The stationary contacts 3 and 3, which have been previously described, consist of pins pro- 'vided with bushings of insulating'm-aterial,

indicated by the reference letter f, which pins and bushings are supported in metallic ugs f arranged to be clamped upon a Sta-- the other when the elevator is going in one direction, the contact portion of the arm a consists of a member a pivotally mounted at a in a member a, and having separate engaging portions (1 and a which, as best shown in Fig. 3, are in line respectively with the contact members 3 and 3". These engaging members consist of plates secured to the opposite sides of the pivoted member a} and insulated therefrom, the said plates projecting beyond the edge of said member which is adapted to make contact with one pin or the other, in acoi'dance with the di rec ion of movement of the arm a. As indicated in Fig. 4, which is a sectional plan view, the body of the pivoted member atis in electrical contact with the pin 3 the insulated projecting member a at this time just coming into contact with the pin 3. This closes the circuit controlled by the pin 3 without, however, closing the circuit through the pin 3*, on account of the insulation betwen the body of the member a and the projecting plate a In the further movement of the arm a, as indicated in Fig. 5, the pivoted member a is thrown completely out of contact and turned far enough to clear when it moves back to its normal posi- A tion through the agency of the spring a afterthe armhas traveled completely past the said contacts.

The contact car'ryingmember a, as best shown in Figs. 2 and 3, is secured by screws 0 to one end of a springplate a", the other end of-said plate being fastened, as by screws a, to the a. This construction allows the contact carrying member a to yield, thus preventing the binding of the contacts and the breaking of the parts.

It is desirable, in some cases where two separate banks of elevato'rsare located in different parts of a building. so that the 51g naling systems for the two'banks must be independent of each other, to uti'llze a s ngle source of current to supply both systems. This can be done by using separate circuits leading to the different sets of signals; but there is a possibility of a conflict 111 current throu h the signaling circuits, since there is a pat of current common to both sets opened through the re-setting circuits. Such interference can be obviated by placing a suitable resistance in the two corresponding conductors of one of the multiple circuits, such an expedient being illustrated in Fig. 6. In the diagram, Fig. 6, two separate banks of elevators are shown, there being, for convenience, but two elevators shown in each bank, and these banks of elevatorsare supposed to be located in different parts of the building so that the signaling devices in one bank must be entirely independent of those in the other. For this purpose, the calling battery M and the resetting battery N are each shownas provided with separate pairs of'c'onductors leading respectively to the separate banks of elevators. The signalin circuits are the same as those already descrl ed, and, for convenience, the same reference characters are employed to indicate the conductors of one set. The circuits through the other set are identical and do not require detailed description, it being sufficient to state'that the signaling conductor 13v leading to the separate bank of elevators corresponds to'the conductor 3 which is the same as that, reviously described in connection with Fig. 1. The same is'true of the re-setting circuit, the conductor 1-4 cor-- responding to the conductor 4. It will be seen that by tracingv the'connections when an impulse of calling current is sent. through the signaling devices of one bank of elevatorsthere is a path of current established through the resetting circuit and the other bank of elevators Which may interfere withthe proper independent operation of the sig nals in the two banks. Assuming, for exam vle, that a signal has been set in elevator 2, t 1e circuit being through conductor 3, the

signal, conductor 3 bell G, conductor 3 and conductor 3, there is also a path of current through conductor 6, conductor 4, conductor 14 and. conductor 16. so that it is possible to influene the signaling devices in the wrong set of elevators. In order to prevent current from flowing through this branch, the conductors 4 and 14 of the resetting circuits are provided with resistance coils 1' of sufficient strength to prevent the flow of current from the calling battery. In order that these resistance coils may not interfere with the proper operation of the current from the resetting battery, they are arranged to operate means for short-circuiting the coils when the resetting battery circuit is closed. For this purpose, the coils are wound on cores so as to constitute electro-magnets, and contact members 2 having polarized armatures r are pivotally supported in such a position that the said armatures are in the magnetic field of the coils r. When the resetting circuit is closed, the oursponding to the different rent flowing through the coils and the conductor 140 to the conductor 14 energizes the said coils so that the armature r is locked on its pivot bringing the contact member 1' Into electrical engagement with a contact p ece 7*, thus closing a circuit of comparatively low resistance throt gh the member 7, the frame of the magnet, he conductor. 141, low resistance coil R and conductor 142 to the conductor 14. By this expedient a low resistance )ath is afforded for the resetting current w on in use, while the signaling current is effectually prevented from connecting across from one bank of elevators to the other by the resistance of the coils r. a

It is obvious that the current from the signaling circuit must traverse one set of the said coils in the direction -opposite to that of the normal flow of current in the resetting circuit, so that the tendency of such current is to move the armature into such a position as to open the shunt circuit.

Claims.

1. In an elevator signaling system for a gang of elevators, the combination with up and down signals in each car consisting of drops provided with polarized armatures; of a manually operated circuit controller adapted to close a circuit through said signaling devices to cause current to flow in the right direction to set the same; and an auto- 'matic circuit-controller operated by an elevator car'to close a circuit and cause current to flow in an opposite direction to said signaling' devices to restore the same when the elevator passes a given floor.

2. In an elevator signaling system the combination. with multiple signals correfloors, said signals being operated by current flowing in one direction and reset by current flowing in the opposite direction; a circuit common to the lip-signals in all the elevators for a given floor; a circuit common to the down-signals for all the elevators for a given floor; manually operated circuit controllers for said circuits; and means operated by the elevator in its travel for closing a circuit to send an impulse of current in the opposite direction through said signaling devices, substantially as described.

3. In' an elevator signaling system the combination with the signals, of a source of current for setting the said signals; circuit controllers corresponding to the different floors for selectively closing circuits from said source of current through the up or down signals, respectively; a second source of current and an automatic switch carried by each elevator car for closing a circuit from said second source of currentthrough the signaling devices in the opposite direction to re-set the same, substantially as de- I scribed.

signals of circuits controlling said signals and having separate manually operated circuit controllers; a source of current to energize said circuit an automatic circuit controller; a second circuit controlled thereby for sending an impulse of current through the signals-for resetting the same; and a manually operated cut-out switch for said second circuit located in the elevator car.

5. In an elevator signaling system the combination with up and down signals located in each car and each adapted to be re-setby an impulse of current; of circuits to supply current for said signals respectively; a traveling controlling member operated by the elevator car; separate contacts projecting into the path of said members to be engaged thereby and insulatedprojections on said traveling member, whereby said member is prevented from closing the circuit through one contact when it is'traveling in one direction and from closing the circuit through the other contact when it is traveling in the opposite direction.

6. The combination with a multiple set of signals, of an automatic circuit controlling device comprising stationary contacts corresponding to the up and down signals at each floor; and a traveling contact member operated by the elevator car comprising an arm adapted to travel past and to engage said contacts, said arm having a pivotallysupported member with insulated engaging portions at opposite sides-to permit said arm to swing past the contacts making electrical 'conncctlon with one when traveling in one direction and with the other when traveling in the opposite direction, substantially as described.

7. In an elevator signaling system, an automatic circuit controlling device having a traveling switch member operated by the elevator car; a stationary switch member having two contacts corresponding to each floor; a contact member pivotally supported on said traveling switch member and adapt ed to engage both contacts of the stationary switch member in passing;a yielding connecting member. connecting said pivotally supported contact member with said traveling switch member; and insulated engaging portions on said pivotally supported contact member, whereby the closure of the cir cuit through one or the other of the stationary contacts is prevented according to the direction of the movement of the traveling switch member.

8. An elevator signaling system having two separate sets of signals for separate groups of elevators; a-source of current common to both sets; independent circuit conductors leading from said source 0t current to the separate sets of signals, respectively;

electro-ma etic resistance coils in series with a con uctor of each ndependent oncuit; armatures in the magnetic field of said coils; and means controlled by said arma tures for short-circuiting said coils.

9. In an elevator signaling system, the combination with up and down signals for each floor located in each car; of a. source of current; a circuit through which current is causedto flow i-n one direction through said signals to set the same; a manually operated circuit controller adapted to close said circuit; a second circuit through which current is caused to flow in the opposite di-- rection through said signals to restore the same; and an automatic circu t controller operated by the elevator car to close said second circuit.

10.-The combination with up and down signals located in an elevator car; of c1rcults controlling sald signals and havlng separately operated circuit controllers; a source of current to energize said c1rcu1ts; a

second set of circuits for sending an impulse of current through thesignals toreset the same; and an automatic,- circuit controller or said "second circuits.

11.-In a circuitf controllerffor operating elevator signals, the combination with a traveling contact member. consisting of a radial arm mounted on a shaft adapted to be rotated in. unison with the movement of the elevator car, of two contact members pivotallysupported on arm and both con nected w th the same terminal; a stationary contact carrying member consisting of a supporting disk; and means for-adjustably securing stationary contact pieces upon the periphery of said disk whereby the number and spacing of said contact pieces may be varied. In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HENRY J. HEENEY. lVitnesses:

M. E. CovENEY, JAs. J. MALONEY. 

